elguera



No. 62|,047. Patented Mar. l4, I899. M. ELGUEBA.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SH IPS BOTTUMS. (Application filed June 14, 1895.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

' i moawtoz abtomua 3 TH: Norms PETERS c0. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, n c,

N0. 62l,0"l-7;. Patented Mar. l4, I899. M. ELGUEBA. APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SI-IIPS BUTTONS.

(Application filed June 14, 1898;)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

(No Model.)

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; NiTED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SHIPS BOTTOIVIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 621,047, dated March 14, 1899.

Application filed June 14, 1898. Serial No. 683,395. (No model.) v

To ctZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MANUEL ELGUERA, a citizen of Peru, residing at WVashington, District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Cleaning Ships Bottoms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relatesto an improved device for cleaning the bottoms of ships and other vessels.

The principal object of my invention is to admit of the cleaning of the bottoms of ships of barnacles, sea-weeds, duo, rapidly and effectively without resorting to the docking of the ship for that purpose, but while the ship is at sea and either at anchor or while sailing.

Another object is to avoid damage to the ship resulting from scraping its Woodwork or other surface, thereby removing the paint and otherwise injuring the surface, thus ne-- cessitating repainting, relining, orother repairs.

Another object is to enable the bottom of the ship to be cleaned either on one side at a time or on both sides simultaneously and to operate the device over and around proje c tions on the ships sides; and still another obj eot is to avoid encumbering the deck with means for operating the cleaning device. Rapidity and ease of operation are also 0bjeots had in View.

For the accomplishment of these and other purposes my invention consists of the apparatus and parts thereof as hereinafter described and claimed.

The principal feature of my invention is the employment of what may be termed a chain or ribbon saw or a chain the links of which are providedwith teeth resembling saw-seeth in general form, and which chain is also provided with rollers which impinge on the surface to be scraped and prevent direct contact therewith of the teeth. The other devices forming part of my invention are for the purpose of carrying and operating this principal feature.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a transverse section in elevation of the body of a vessel with my invention applied. Fig. 2 is a side view in elevation, partly in section,of a front portion of avessel. Figs.

I I 3 and 4 are front and edge detail views of the saw-chain. Fig. 5 is a detail cross-section of part of a vessel, showing modification for carrying the device over a projection on the side of the ship. Fig. 6 is a detail of the pulleys and rollers in said modification. Fig. 7- is a transverse view of a modification of the device shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. Sis a detail of a modified for-m of a link in the chain-saw.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the hull of a ship, which may be of this or of any suitable contour, and a the keel.

erably the upper one, and c the side rail.

D is the chain which I employ. A section of it, both as to face and edge View, isshown in Figs. 3 and 4. The links 6 of this chain are open and preferably flat and square in form and at one corner or on one edge are provided with cutting-teeth g of a saw form, or the link may be constructed in another form, such as shown in Fig. 8,Which is a rhomboid, with the teeth formed by the extension of the opposite oblique angles. These links are connected by rollers f, the peripheries of which are made to extend to the ends of the teeth, so as to come in contact with the hull, and thus prevent its abrasion by the teeth. The rollers may be made of rubber, wood, or metal, as may be found most desirable.

When the chain is to beused on both sides of and the bottom of the vessel, as shown in Fig. 1, it is made endless and hung on one side over a pulleyt' on the shaft of asuitable motor L and on the opposite side over a pulley i, hung on a bracket 1' Although the motor employed for driving the chain is indicated as an electric one in Fig. 2, yet any other suitable motor or power may be used for the same purpose. The bracket 7?, on which is hung the motor, is connected to a toothed pulley i mounted on a toothed rail K, and to the pulley t', and to the bracket also, if necessary, is secured a leverhandle M for moving the pulley on the rail, and consequently the motor and chain ,lengthwise of the ship. A motor may be dispensed with on the opposite side of the ship, as incated in Fig. l, or one may be there used, if desired. The toothed rail K is secured to the outside of the vessel not far above the water- B is one of the decks, generally and prefthe chain to pass around it, I provide a special combination of pulleys N. These pulleys are arranged in an open triangular frame 0 and the pulleys placed at the ends, two of them placed 011 opposite sides of the keel and i one below the same. One part of the chain, passing in the direction of the arrow next to the vessel, crosses over the first pulley, then through the frame, under the lower pulley, up through the frame, and over the remaining upper pulley. On its return the chain passes under the lower pulley.

Some ships are provided with a rib or projections along their sides, as indicated by P, Fig. 5. To pass the chain around such projections, I employ a set of rollers or pulleys Q, similar to the set N. They are flanged pulleys and are shown in detail in Fig. 6 and are carried in a frame suspended from the motor-frame by a hanger R. The chain is passed over them in the same manner as over the rollers N.

In Fig. 5 is also illustrated a modification by which two chains may be employed, one on either side of the ship, and in such case each is provided with its separate motor. The chains in such case are each passed around an upper pulley n at the keel.

To aid in moving the chain along lengthwise of the ship, I provide a Windlass S, as shown in Fig. 2, with a rope T, passed over a pulley or pulleys T on opposite ends of the keel and attached to eyes T on the rolls N at the bottom of the ship.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modification of a single chain, which is given a reciprocating movement and not a return movement by attaching one end of the chain to a strong spring V. In such case the motor is used to give the chain a movement in one direction by winding it up on a shaft and then released when the force of the spring pulls the chain back in the opposite direction.

Some of the mechanical details, it will be seen, might be varied without departing from my invention. I have already shown how this may be done as to the form of chain-links.

The toothed rail or rack and its accompan ying toothed roller might be varied by the substitution of another form of way and the carrier by omitting the teeth in each of these parts.

- The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood without further description.

The rope T instead of being secured to the Windlass may be connected to the motor-frame and wound or unwound thereon as the frame moves along, so as to keep the rope taut and maintain the lower part of the saw-chain in even travel with the upper part.

While a chain-saw as shown and described probably constitutes the preferable construction, yet it is within the scope of my invention to employ a ribbon-saw of thin steel or any other equivalent means forming a flexi ble saw capable of conforming to the shape of the vessel.

What I claim is 1. In a device for cleaning ships bottoms, the combination with a suitable motor, a chain driven by said motor, and provided with cutting-teeth and rollers, the peripheries of the rollers extending to the ends of said teeth, substantially as described.

2. In a device for cleaning ships bottoms, the combination with a suitable motor, a chain actuated by said motor and provided with cutting-teeth and rollers extending toward the ship to the ends of said teeth, and means for giving the chain and motor an endwise movement along the ships bottom, substantially as described.

3. In a device for cleaning ships bottoms, the combination with a suitable motor, a chain provided with cutting-teeth, and given an operating direction at right angles to the ships surface by said motor, means for giving the chain an endwise movement,a rail or track on which said motor is carried, and a lever and roller for moving said motor on said rail or track, substantially as described.

4. In a device for cleaning ships bottoms, a chain armed with cutting-teeth and rollers, means for actuating said chain, and sets of pulleys and their supporting-frames for conducting the said chain around and over the keel, and other projections on the sides or bottom of the ship, substantially as described.

5. In a device for cleaning ships bottoms, a rail or track on the outside of the hull, said rail or track having an undulating or varied curvature, a motor carried on said track, means for moving said motor and a cutting apparatus actuated by said motor, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

MANUEL ELGUERA.

Witnesses:

JAs. H. BLAcKWooD, II. P. DOOLI'ITLE. 

